ILOILO — The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) has reported a steady decline in dengue cases following a peak during the August 4 to 10 period, the 32nd morbidity week of the year.
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness caused by the dengue virus, transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It can lead to a range of symptoms from mild fever to severe conditions like hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
After recording 1,122 cases in the 32nd morbidity week, numbers gradually decreased to 96 cases in the 40th morbidity week spanning September 29 to October 5.
“According to the epidemic curve of Iloilo province, the number of dengue cases is steadily decreasing. However, it remains above the outbreak level. We reached the highest number of cases during the morbidity week of August 4 to 10 with 1,122 cases, and the numbers have continued to decrease each week since then,” said Dr. Rodney Labis, chief of the IPHO – Health Service Delivery Division.
Here is a breakdown of the weekly dengue cases recorded from August 11 to October 5:
* August 11 to 17 – 1,052 cases
* August 18 to 24 – 752 cases
* August 25 to 31 – 693 cases
* September 1 to 7 – 529 cases
* September 8 to 14 – 334 cases
* September 15 to 21 – 117 cases
* September 22 to 28 – 241 cases
* September 29 to October 5 – 96 cases
Dengue preventative measures include eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed, using mosquito repellent, and installing screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquito entry.
From January 1, 2024, to October 5, 2024, the province logged a total of 10,075 dengue cases resulting in 25 fatalities. This marks a significant increase of 637 percent compared to the same period last year, which saw 1,367 cases and two deaths.
The municipalities with the highest number of dengue cases this year are:
* Passi City – 648 cases with two deaths
* Oton – 588 cases
* Calinog – 441 cases with one death
* Lambunao – 423 cases with one death
* Leon – 423 cases
* Dingle – 412 cases with one death
* Janiuay – 390 cases
* Barotac Nuevo – 378 cases with four deaths
* Dumangas – 353 cases
* Santa Barbara – 322 cases with one death
The remaining 33 towns reported the following dengue cases: Tigbauan (309), Miag-ao (296 with two deaths), Pavia (294), Cabatuan (286), San Dionisio (253 with one death), Pototan (246), Barotac Viejo (237), Badiangan (227 with two deaths), Banate (225 with one death), Sara (221 with one death), Dueñas (210), Lemery (209 with one death), Alimodian (206), Igbaras (203 with two deaths), Batad (170), San Miguel (162), Ajuy (158), San Enrique (155), San Joaquin (153), Maasin (141), Guimbal (137 with one death), Anilao (133), Zarraga (123), Bingawan (118), Balasan (117 with one death), Leganes (117), Mina (116), Estancia (115 with one death), Concepcion (114 with two deaths), Tubungan (86), Carles (69), New Lucena (51), and San Rafael (40).
Despite the downward trend, Dr. Labis emphasized the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to the 4S strategy against dengue, which includes searching for and destroying breeding sites among other activities, to ensure that families and communities remain protected./PN
